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Monday, July 29, 2013

Weekend of 28 July 2013

Although Ambrose has posted about his "mum" feeling better, he slightly jumped the gun. Two weeks after  Grant and I'd arrived back on site (and having conquered the flu we'd caught in South Africa), we woke up sneezing and coughing again. By 9am we were in the doctor's surgery at the hospital where he prescribed (without examining us) celestimine to dry out the sniffles, a cough syrup to soothe the new bouts of coughs and antibiotics to clear the bug.   
 Waiting to have blood tests at the hospital on Tuesday

Grant's flu cleared up by the end of that [the third week], but mine just persisted. On Tuesday,  I saw another doctor at the hospital who gave me a thorough check-up, and sent me for blood tests. Afterwards he prescribed me with a new course of antibiotics, more celestimine and painkillers and vitamins to build me up! Within four hours I felt like a new person and was full of energy when we visited the school the next day. 

 Waiting to see the doctor again on Friday!

On Thursday morning I woke up with a burning throat, sniffles and coughing like mad! I struggled through the day continuing with my antibiotics from the second doctor. By Friday morning I'd had enough of feeling weak and shaky and visited the hospital again! This time I saw the doctor Grant and I had originally seen. He took my blood pressure (it was normal), took my temperature, (normal!) and listened to my chest and breathing.  Then he sent my for x-rays! 

  State-of-the-art x-ray machine at the hospital

Back in the doctor's surgery, he looked at my plates and announced that all was perfectly normal! However, he prescribed celestimine (!), a nasal spray, a cough syrup and an antibiotic. I didn't ask if I should discontinue my course from Tuesday - I just did!

Of course, with the flu persisting for a month (I caught it on 25th June), and on the fourth course of antibiotics and other meds in as many weeks, I felt totally lethargic and washed out. I spent Friday and Saturday relaxing on the sofa and watching a documentary on the British Royal Family. It lasted the whole weekend and as I'm a British Royalist, it kept me enthralled! It was great to relive THE wedding of the 21st Century again, although I'd watched it over and over again on the weekend of 30th April 2011! 

I added Edward and Sophie to the  wedding collage, as they're seem to be a couple who're going to make it to old age without splitting up. Watching Will and Kate, I believe that they too, will be like the Queen and Prince Phillip and surpass 60 years of marriage.
Apparently William jokingly said to Michael Middleton (top right photo): "We're supposed to have just a small family affair."

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead.

10 comments:

  1. Bless your heart... I'm so sorry you have been so sick for so long.. NO FUN... Hope you can finally get yourself well...

    Are you sure you eat right, Jo???? As we get older, our bodies need all kinds of nutrients... As you know, I have been working hard on a healthy lifestyle. One thing I try to do is to eat a balanced diet of all of the necessary ingredients... Just wondering --since you are SO slim. Maybe you are missing some necessary vitamins in your life.....

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. OH, Jo, how dreadful for you. Such a long bout of it. I must stop feeling sorry for myself because, although I came home from the west coast with a cold, July 12, I've had a couple of good days.
    However, yesterday and today I've been lethargic and achy and sniffly and sneezly again. I have an appointment to see the doctor tomorrow, but I doubt if he'll send me off with any new prescriptions.
    Take good care of yourself now.
    Luv, K

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  3. Dang, that's a lot of meds. Hope you get feeling better soon.

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  4. Dear Jo, I do hope you are feeling better soon. Where I live most doctors will not prescribe antibiotics for a cold/flu. They say that these are caused by viruses not bacteria and so cannot be treated by antibiotics (though some doctors still do prescribe these to the elderly here). I think once you start on the antibiotics though you have to finish them off or other problems manifest.

    I'm so glad to hear your tests came back okay. I think you just need to rest, drink some hot lemon and honey, and gargle with warm salt water to soothe your throat. Big hugs. xx

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  5. Following on what Betsy said, maybe you need to take vitamin B12. I know you are vegetarian and vegetarians are often missing this vitamin. Whatever it is, I hope you are feeling better very soon.

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  6. Apparently you have the same as I had with interruptions since February it was now the 4th time ! I hope it will be the last one ! Same treatment as you ! We are a little fed up with always the same pictures on TV or all Newspapers, Diana with William and Kate with George ! Every single day ! Imagine ! We are also royalists but now too much is too much ! lol !

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  7. I hope the medication kicks in and you get better soon

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  8. JO, I am sorry you have not been feeling well. I hope you are back to normal now or very soon! I watch a documentary on the Royals too. Take care and have a happy week!

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  9. I am so sorry to hear of your ongoing battle with the flu or whatever it is, Jo! I'm glad you just "chilled out" and watched the documentary on the British Royal Family...that sounds fun.

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  10. Oh you poor honey, you have been through the mill. I sincerely hope things are picking up. Personally, I don't believe in taking antibiotics until absolutely unavoidable so that they still work when I really need them. Doctors are too quick to over-prescribe them.

    Hugs . . . Arija

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